A National Seminar on Climate Smart Sericulture-2022: Approaches for sustainable sericulture was organized by Central Silk Board on October 6-7, 2022 at National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru.  The seminar focused on the development of appropriate technologies sustaining the productivity and achieving the targets of silk production of 60,000 MT by 2030 in view of the deleterious impact of climate change on silkworms and their host plants.  Addressing the inaugural function, Shri Rajit Ranjan Okhandiar, IFS, CEO and Member Secretary, Central Silk Board presented an overview of the sericulture scenario in the country and the recent advances in R&D met by the Scientists of Central Silk board.

Dr. S. Ayyappan, Padma Shri Awardee, Chancellor, CAU, Imphal, Chairman, KTSA & Ex-DG, DARE-ICAR elaborated on the impact of climate change on different crops and remarked that even a slight change in the abiotic factors may lead to a significant reduction in production and productivity of sericulture crops specially, vanya silks as their rearing is conducted out-door and hence, more vulnerable to the changes. Pointing out the need to take lessons from different countries located on the Silk Route experiencing climate changes over the timeline, he called upon the Scientists to evolve technologies that could enable silkworms and the host plants more resilient to the climatic changes. Development of a road map to make sericulture smart, on a project mode with a timeline of 5 years is the need of the hour to achieve the targets set for production and sustain the sericulture activities more remunerative.

Prof. Katsuhiko ITO from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan briefed the recent research advancements made in Japan and informed the scientific community about the efforts being made to develop a silkworm strain, resistant to dreaded flacherie disease. He also spoke about the research projects taken up in association with Central Silk Board.

 

On the occasion, Ms. Susan Thomas, IRS, Director, NIFT, Bengaluru spoke about the intrinsic relations between silk and the fashion world.

The National Seminar will provide a platform to the Scientists of CSB, State Departments of Sericulture, Agriculture Universities across the country and policy makers, entrepreneurs, research scholars and students for interaction and sharing of experiences and valuable ideas to device a realistic road map for development of sericulture in the country.

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